NSRI finds body and boat on day 2 of search

A body believed to be one of two fishermen who went missing on a ski boat in rough seas in the Western Cape was found near Cape Point on Sunday, the National Sea Rescue Institute said.

Spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the body was still to be positively identified, but the boat the two men were in, had been found.

"We found a body, which we suspect is one of the men, but a positive identification still needs to be made," he said.

"We have confirmed that we have found the vessel, named Ntombi."

The search for the ski boat that went missing in rough seas on Saturday resumed at first light on Sunday.

Lambinon said the Hout Bay and Simon's Town stations were involved in the search.

A Dakota aircraft from the Ysterplaat Air Force base in Cape Town was also being used.

He said the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre had plotted the boat's suspected position.

The two men onboard the blue and black craft had set off before dawn to go fishing off Hawston reef near Hermanus when their craft developed engine problems.

The NSRI Hermanus received a call about the missing boat at 9.30am.

The men were drifting in rough sea conditions with 30 knot south easterly winds and waves of three to four metres with a heavy sea chop.

The NSRI initially had cellphone contact with the boat's skipper, who reported that they were safe onboard but drifting without power.

The search is continuing.

Source: www.iol.co.za